Cubans lured to Russian army by high pay and passports

Key Facts

Image source, Facebook Image caption, Hundreds of Cubans are said to have joined the Russian army: this man's face is blurred to protect his identity Russia has likely been recruiting Cuban nationals to fight in its army in Ukraine, research by the BBC has shown.
A Facebook search has shown that 31 of the names mentioned in the Ukrainian leak match accounts whose owners appear to be in Russia or linked to the Russian army.
Image source, Facebook Image caption, Cubans are enticed by lucrative rewards and Russian passports: This man's face is blurred to protect his identity Since the start of its war against Ukraine, Moscow has been taking steps to make it significantly easier for foreigners to obtain Russian citizenship after spending time in the army, and the BBC has seen social media posts suggesting that some Cuban fighters received Russian passports within months of signing up.
Image source, REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini Image caption, Last year, Marilin Vinent showed a photo of her son Dannys in uniform, saying he had gone to Russia for a construction job Numerous reports suggest Cubans have often joined the Russian army after coming into contact with recruiters on social media, but that not all of them appeared aware of the real nature of the job on offer.